Earlier tonight there was a minor boomlet on Twitter over a BuzzFeed report (rumor) that Twitter will switch from a chronological timeline to an algorithmic one designed to better give users what they allegedly want to read. The change would come “as soon as next week”:
Twitter to introduce algorithmic timeline as soon as next week https://t.co/Dg3wdBXJ2C
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) February 6, 2016
Users, to say the least weren’t happy:
Shorter @Jack: "I rly hate the ppl who love this place; let me try something else to make it ~Facebook~ popular." https://t.co/dywg1xvtIb
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) February 6, 2016
Please, Twitter, do NOT make this mandatory. Make it optional. It will eliminate service's value for a lot of us. https://t.co/cJfXxeambd
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) February 6, 2016
Please no @Jack leave our Twitter alone. $twtr https://t.co/N9WUyuwWw6
— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) February 6, 2016
This is dumb, @Twitter. Be less dumb. https://t.co/QB2XGvDo1l
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) February 6, 2016
Dear @twitter, we already have @facebook. We're here for a different reason. Please don't screw it up. #twitterchanges
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) February 6, 2016
BuzzFeed’s report (rumor), however, is being called in to question by Josh Sternberg, who according to his Twitter bio is “Director of Branded Content, NBC News” (unverified). He reports (rumor No. 2) that the new algorithmic timeline will be “strictly opt in”:
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Sources at Twitter tell me algorithms are strictly opt in.
— Josh Sternberg (@joshsternberg) February 6, 2016
@alwaysonoffense yes.
— Josh Sternberg (@joshsternberg) February 6, 2016
@DelRey unbranded.
— Josh Sternberg (@joshsternberg) February 6, 2016
Maybe they launch this algorithm timeline during #SuperBowl?
— Anthony DeRosa? (@Anthony) February 6, 2016
Here’s hoping he’s right!
When you learn the algorithmic timeline is likely opt-in: pic.twitter.com/hK1JHvmlGx
— Scott Tobias (@scott_tobias) February 6, 2016
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